Method of producing motion pictures



June 12, 1923.

J. W. FLENDER METHOD OF PRODUCING MOTION PICTURES Filed Nov. lO 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet l I IIIII" /N VEA/TOR ZM 91,/

June 12, 1923.

1,458,401 J. W. FLENDER METHOD OF PRODUOING MOTION PICTURES Filed Nov. 10 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AFP/IRA TM5 16H7 P/aoJfc roms I l /NVEA/Tofe .,Wnwfsses fvg 7K mi Patented June 12, 1923.

UNITED` STATES 1,458,401 OFI-rca JOHN' W. FLENDER, 0F W'EXFORD, PENNSYLVANA, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF T0 HENRY BRAUN, OF PITTSBURGH, FENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD F PBODUCNG MTIEUN PICTURES To all whom t may cof/wem:

Be it known that l, JOHN W. FLENDER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Wexford, in the'county oit Allegheny s and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful improvement in Methods of Producing Motion Pictures, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide lo a simple and eEect-ive method of producing motion pictures whereby the resulting pictures will have depth and color tone, and will more accurately show, either in black and white or in colors, the color values of I'original settings.

In the practice of the invention in its preferred iorm` the negative film is taken in the usual manner, and from it a positive is formed by exposing a sensitized lilm to light,

2o the light being caused to simultaneously pass through the negative and a color filter having, or formed in black and white trom a pattern having a plurality of equally-sized like-shaped areas of primary colors symmetrically arranged in suchfa manner that no two areas of the same color are in Contact with each other. The positive films thus -formed are then projected upon a screen of colors, the screen corresponding in its pattern and arrangement of colors with that of the filter used in formin the positive film, or the pattern from wich the. filter is made.

, Two arrangements or patterns of colors suitable for use either as the color llter or the screen in the process are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which Fig. 1 shows the preferred arrangement and Fig. 2 a modified form. Fig. 3 is a diagram- |40 matic plan view of a screen and projecting apparatus.

As previously stated, the negative lm may be taken. inthe usual manner inwhich motion pictureblack and white negatives are now taken. Also, the termin positive may be accomplished in t e usual manner, except that in the preferred practice lofthe invention the light is caused to pass through a color filter as well as through the negative. While filters of different colors and different arrangements of colors may be used, it is preferred to use a filter of three primary colors. Such colors may be, and preferabl are, red, blue and yellow.

u In the pre erred arrangement or pattern of the l of colors indicated in Fig. 1, each color area is rectangular in form, being twice as long as it is wide. rlhese areas are indicated by shadings as well as by the letters R, B and Y for red, blue and yellow, and from such indication it will be observed that no two areas of the same color are in contact with each other. Furthermore, there are as many areas of one color as of any other color and the areas of one color are in the same symmetrical relation to each other as the areas of each of the other colors. In Fig. 2 there is similarly indicated an arrangement of colors in which each area is 'a hexagon.

As far as xcvoncerns symmetry and uniformity of design and total equalities of colors, the arrangement of Fig. 2 is the same as that explained with reference to Fig. 1. However, the design of Fig. 1 is preferable, because, among other reasons, it embodies the principleI of the cross-line Screen. As used herein, it removes pictures from photographic accuracy to more artistic conceptions. ln the pattern of Fig. 1, the vertical lines are balanced or counteracted by the horizontal lines resulting in a pleasing woven appearance rather than a rosette design, which, in some cases, would be objectionable in the use of the pattern of Fig. 2.

By using such color ilter in forming the positive, t e pattern of the lter appears upon 4the positive in the form of graduations in the thickness or density of the coating. For example, the negative of a colored settin taken in the ordinary manner indicates in lack and white the yellow oi' the original 'setting by a relatively great density of lfilm coating. ln producing a positive from a negative through the interposition of the color filter the intensity of the portion of the positive indicating the yellow of the original setting will be augmented. In a like manner, the other colors are selectively augmented so that the positive is a truerre-p- 10C resentation in black and` white of the colors of the original setting than if the color filter were not used in producing the positive. Also, it being understood that the sensitiveness of the usual films is least to 105 the colors at the red end of the spectrum, the colors under-exposed are accentuated and those overexposed are-lessened by using the color ltilter in forming the positive. This general result is Jfurther attained when 110 fbi hotspot positive is projected upon screen of colors as vvill he presently explained.

The color ilter used in forming the positive may he made by photographing on a small plate an original necessarily large pattern of colors of the character indicated in toe drawings. rlFhe necessity oi having an original large pattern oi colors arises from the practical diiiiculties involved in melting an accurate pattern or intense colors when each individual area is small. The plate thus photographically produced will have, in hlaclr and White gradations of coating, the pattern oi colors in smaller dimensions than the colors themselves could be readily applied idlter. ln forming the positive, the plate placed on one side and the sensltised-tilm on the other side ci a negative, and the light caused to pass through hoth the filter plate and negative. instead oi rst photographing the color pattern, a i'ilter having the original pattern in colors on it may he placed hetvveen a source or" illu mination and a condensing lens, and the negative sensitized placed on the opposite side oit such lens the purpose oi 'n the positive. The resulting posi f procediL is the .pression i col-or filter i e produced in the manner jected upon a screen colh ding to the color ricer. may he done various Ways. For the screei itself may he painted, the several primary co ors being arranged to 'corni the same pattern the color r'ilter. oivever, as indicated in 3, the coloring on the screen is preferably affected hy light rejection, a light projector in the torno of a spot light l losing placed adjacent to he moving picture machine 2 and arranged to project the color pattern upon the screen 3 simultaneously vvith the projection oi the moving pictuues` upon it. A single light projector may he thus used, in which ease the colors may be formed bv placing in the path ot the projected light a color filter the same as that used in producing the positive However, to produce greater intensity oi the necessary small patches of color, three light projectors 1, l and lb may be used, one for each ot the primary colors. yln the latter FIThis oie,

case, it the color filter used in producing the ositive were of the arrangement shown in 1g. 1, an opaque screen provided with openings, formed and arranged 'the same as all the areas of onecolor in the arrangement of Fig. 1, may be placed, one in the path of each of the three projected beams, and these' openings may be covered by colored glass or like colored material. By bringing into registry the three beams se projected., a screen ot colors arranged the same as Fig. l .may be produced. ln all cases, however, it is desirable to have the areas of colors on the screen or the sume size and 'torni as the pattern areas projected upon the screen resulting from the light passing 'through the positive film.

A instead oi projecting each picture of the positive -lni upon the full color screen, the areas ot one primary color may be projected upon or rendered visible on the screen simultaneously with the projection of one iiln'i picture, those oi` another color with the ner/ft iilm picture, and so on in. rotating sequence, With the result that the original. colors oi' the settings will be more pronounced. This may be accompiished in various ways, in all oi' which it is desirable to brin/1 a 'the pattern ot colors on the ample, in the projection of screen by the use three of light, the sequence i. he produced 'hy successively on the light ot ic beams. Also, when the colors on the screen are l gle beam, a lolaclr und W ghe white forms the pattern of y be piaced in th ved to successiveJ on or projected upol ments heing in sequence vvitl th 4projection of pictures upon the scf: e

ln describing hy the use or" color lilter, it has heen ined that the positive is so moditied .y ie undererrposed colors are accentuated sul rose overexposed are lessened. l/ihen the 'i iitive is projected upon the colored sci-ecn, the patterns of each being in registry, the everal colors on the screen will he so dissolved and heightened as to 'further compran: sate for the underenposed and overenposed colors as taken on the negative iilm.

By practicing the invention in the manner just explained, the resulting pictures will have a maximum depth and atmosscreen. For err-- colors upon he of the primary cc' pliers, and will also have a color tone appreaching that of the original settings from which the pictures were taken. The result may be measurably obtained `hy projecting the usual black and White positive upon ascreen of colors such as explained above, the formation of the positivelheing unmoditied by the use of a color filter.

No claim is made herein to the color screen aside from its use in the method of producing motion pictures. The color screen in itself is claimed-in a divisional application.

I cla-im:

1. The method of producing atmospheric depth and color tone in motion pictures, which consists in projecting such pictures upon a screen having a plurality of eqtlalscreened. beans 4film by exposing ageegeei sized like-shaped areas of primary colors symmetrically arranged with no two areas Aof the same color in contaetwith each otheru 2. The method of producing atmospheric depth and color tone in motion pictures9 whichconsists inf projecting such pictures upon a screen of three primary colors comprising rectangular areas twice as long as the are Wide, said areas being symmetri cal y .arranged with no two areas ci the same color in contact with each othen.

3. The method of producing motion pic tures which consists informinpositive la sensitized ,t n: to light through a negative l-m and a patterned lter, and in projecting the positive upon a screen having a plurality of equal-sized like-shaped areas o rimary colors syet rically arranged wit no two areas of the saine color in contact` `with each other, the pattern-ot said lter corresponding in form, to the pattern of said screen.

4. `The method of producing motion pictures which consists in forming a positive by exposing a sensitized film to light through a negative nlm and a color filter having a' plurality of equal-sized likeshaped areas of primary colors symmetrically arranged with no two areas of the same color in Contact with each other9 and in projecting the positive upon a screen of colors corresponding to said color lter.,

lin testimony whereof, l have hereunto set my handu Qll-lN W., FLENDER,

Witness:

Eowrn donne., 

